The flowers (cones) of the female hop plant, Humulus lupulus L, are used in the making of beverages, especially beer, as a flavoring and processing component. Hops contribute towards the bitterness and aroma in beer as well as foam quality and flavor and taste stability. Various hop varieties have various special uses in the beer brewing industry. Specialized “aroma” hops are used to impart flavors by virtue of the distinct profiles of their essential oils and terpene alcohols, among other compounds, as well as to supply bitter flavors based on specific contents of bitter acids, namely, terpenophenolics, mostly humulones. Examples of aroma hops are the cultivars known as variety ‘Williamette’ (non-patented), variety ‘Fuggle’ (non-patented) and variety ‘Cascade’ (non-patented). Many aroma varieties are susceptible to fungal pathogens and otherwise exhibit less than ideal agronomic traits. The present invention relates to a novel hop variety which retains the good “aroma” quality of the above mentioned varieties, yet has significant improvements in agronomic traits.
Hop plants, hops cones, male hop flowers, hop plant parts, hop tissue cultures and hop extracts also have bioactive properties; including anti-microbial, anti-cancer, anti-osteoporosis, anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, antibiotic, soporific, anti-androgenic, and pro-estrogenic activities, among others; which may be used in herbal remedies, in antimicrobial preparations for food, fodder, food fermentation, food process, animal husbandry; or in non-food uses, such as composting, bio-fuel processing, fermentation process, water treatment, animal bedding and phytoremediation; and uses in cosmetics, in nutraceutical and in pharmaceutical applications and in research thereof. Examples activities and non-beverage uses are included herein by references:    J Hazard Mater. Apr. 26;91(1-3):95-1 12; Mol Cancer Ther, Sep;1(11):959-69; Phytochemistry. May;65(10):1317-30; U.S. Pat. No. 6,423,317 (2002); U.S. Pat. No. 6,623,775 (2003).
Agricultural end-product users, growers, handlers and processors of hops, of hop plants, of hop tissues and of hop products use hops and are affected by the agronomic, developmental, morphological, chemical and physical properties that vary among unique and distinct asexually reproduced varieties. Users of hops are also interested in new combinations or mixtures of hop cultivars that improve the quality of beverage flavor and process and storage properties. This invention relates to a novel asexually produced hop variety, named ‘Delta’, invented in a planned and systematically executed breeding program.